Gillian Anderson Joins Amazon/Studio Ghibli Anime Series

One of the many noteworthy credits on X-Files star Gillian Anderson’s long resume was voicing Moro in the American release of anime legend Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke. Now she’s reuniting with Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli for another project: an Amazon anime TV series called Ronja the Robber’s Daughter.

The Emmy-winning Ronja was originally produced for Japanese television, but Amazon snatched up the rights and has now slated Anderson to voice the narrator. Here’s a trailer for Ronja the Robber’s Daughter.

Ronja clocks in at 26 parts, and was directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son, Goro. The series is adapted from a popular children’s fantasy book by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, first published in 1981. Lindgren also created the character of Pippi Longstocking. Here’s how Amazon’s press release describes the show:

[Ronja is the] story of a strong, adventurous young girl who grows up exploring a beautiful and dangerous forest filled with mythical creatures. The daughter of a professional robber, Ronja realizes the complicated nature of her father’s profession when she befriends Birk, the child of a rival tribe. Ronja struggles to balance the relationship with her family and the bond with her self-proclaimed brother Birk as she comes to understand the intricate issues of family and friendship and how differences can be overcome with the help of love and understanding.

Anything out of Studio Ghibli is worth taking note of, and Anderson’s involvement is just the icing on the cake. It’s also exciting to see such high-quality kids’ programming coming out of both Netflix and Amazon. The children’s shows tend to get overshadowed by the higher profile stuff when it comes to buzz, but there’s no question the two competing streaming services have shown a strong commitment to developing and acquiring top-notch kids’ shows.

Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli are justifiably legendary in the world of animation. Over Miyazaki’s long career, he has produced a string of instant animated classics, including Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle.

Ronja the Robber’s Daughter will debut on Amazon Prime later this fall in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan, and Austria.

David Wharton has been a freelance writer and editor for over 12 years, contributing to publications such a The Daily Dot, CinemaBlend, GiantFreakinRobot, Cinescape, and Creative Screenwriting. He lives in Texas with three children, four dogs, and his wife. Email him at davidwharton@streamingobserver.com.Disclosure: Streaming Observer is supported by readers. Articles may contain referral links. For more information, see the disclosure at the bottom of the page.